It's no surprise that a majority of millennials use social media; usually on a daily or multi-daily basis. Approximately 59 percent of millennials use some form of social media to gather a majority of their information, whether it be current events, food ideas, or whatever it is that their friends had for breakfast that day. However, sites like Instagram and Facebook can be used for more than just posting your gym selfies. In fact, these sites can be a great opportunity to network and connect with people, as well as show off your professional side to potential employers. Here are some tips to up your social media game:
1. Branch out.
Facebook and Instagram are sites that almost every millennial uses, yet these tend to be the least useful for your professional career. There are other sites out there that can help you expand your social horizons even more effectively. Give Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter a try. Each of these sites offers a unique way to connect with people, try each of them out and see what works best for you.
2. Post pictures carefully.
It's common knowledge at this point that employers look up potential employees on their social media pages. Even if you have your profile set to private, there are ways to get around those privacy barriers. If a potential employer looks you up, do you think they would like what they saw? Would they see the professional that you claim to be on your application or resume? Or would they see the party animal that binge drinks? Now, obviously, there's no room for anybody to judge anybody else, however, an employer most certainly will judge how you present yourself online. If a hiring manager takes a look at a potential candidate's profile and sees pictures with alcohol, even if the person is of legal drinking age, or provocative pictures, they will most likely not contact you again. So post carefully. Think about who could be seeing the picture before you click that 'okay' button.
3. Hold your tongue.
Now, many social media sites are a huge melting pot of ideas and opinions, which is fantastic, but it can turn messy when someone gets emotionally invested. It's great to be passionate about things and want to talk about them with others. However, it's smart to pay close attention to how those debates play out. Not only that, but if you're commenting on or posting to your page where anyone can see it, make sure you are presenting yourself in a good light. A study done for CareerBuilder, a popular employment website, suggests that 46 percent of employers were turned off by inappropriate photos or posts, 41 percent didn't like mentions of or participation in drinking or drugs, and 28 percent were put off by discriminatory comments about race, religion, gender, etc. So if you share your opinions, whether or not they are radical, just be mindful that your future boss could be reading them.
4. Present the real you.
While it's important to keep the other tips in this article in mind, it is equally important to be honest about who you are; in other words, don't lie about qualifications and achievements. Definitely include details about volunteer work and accomplishments at school or your current place of work. Some 33 percent of employers found information on a social media site that made them more likely to hire a candidate.
5. Be professional.
If you truly want to use your social media not only as a platform to update your friends and family on the happenings in your life, but also as a tool to help your career, then it is crucial to remain professional. This includes more than just not posting inappropriate photos or dirty jokes; this means using proper spelling and grammar as well as using your real name. Not only this, but be sure to use efficient communication, even when talking casually with your friends; around 32 percent of employers notice and dislike when a potential hire uses poor communication skills.
6. Show how creative and well-rounded you are.
A large percentage of employers are impressed when they see that a potential employee is creative and well-rounded. Perhaps try looking into pages and connecting with people or groups that don't necessarily share your exact opinion on something. Not only will this benefit you mentally by either strengthening or changing your opinion, but it will show your future employer that you aren't afraid of being challenged, and you're willing to accept and hear out another point of view.
7. Collect recommendations and endorsements from people.
This isn't so easy or efficient on most sites, but in places liked LinkedIn, this is a common and useful tool to use. If you are currently employed, and you've connected with that employer or company on the site, ask them to endorse you and your skills. Other employers will see that and it will increase the chance of them looking at you again or perhaps even offering you a job. It's a good idea to get endorsements or recommendations from as many people as possible, and to connect with a wide range of people. Not only will an employer look at your skills and whether or not people can back you up on those talents, but they will glance at your following. This may not be a crucial point for many looking to hire, but it can't hurt to show them that you know how to network and make connections.
Image via jsums.edu
With these do's and don'ts in mind, you can elevate your social media skills to the next level and use them in a professional way. While it may be a blast to post your breakfast every morning, or rant about National Cat Day, it's also fun to have a job. Why not make use of a tool you use every day anyway to help your future in the professional world? You could obtain the career of your dreams just by changing a few things on these sites. Happy posting!
